[Mick]

BTW, if I were in my early 30's, I'd go on the test cruise like a shot. Great food, interesting destinations, at pennies on the dollar. I'd take the risk. My understanding is that the risk is acceptable at that age.

FWLIW, nearly 40 years ago, my Stanford-educated grandmother received a windfall check and decided to take 20 of her relatives on a cruise down the Mexican coast.  I was 21, the cruise coincided with a week off during my last quarter in college.  I was expected to go.  Did my best to be a good sport and not to roll my eyes at what I thought was a geriatric-only exercise, and can honestly say I had one of the top five vacations of my life.  Would have been ever better had I been ten years older.  Great, great time.

Never been on another cruise for (obvious) sanitary reasons, but enjoyed the heck out of that one.

[Mick]

BTW, if I were in my early 30's, I'd go on the test cruise like a shot. Great food, interesting destinations, at pennies on the dollar. I'd take the risk. My understanding is that the risk is acceptable at that age.

FWLIW, nearly 40 years ago, my Stanford-educated grandmother received a windfall check and decided to take 20 of her relatives on a cruise down the Mexican coast.  I was 21, the cruise coincided with a week off during my last quarter in college.  I was expected to go.  Did my best to be a good sport and not to roll my eyes at what I thought was a geriatric-only exercise, and can honestly say I had one of the top five vacations of my life.  Would have been ever better had I been ten years older.  Great, great time.

Never been on another cruise for (obvious) sanitary reasons, but enjoyed the heck out of that one.